The UK Parliament's Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee will examine why the country has repeatedly performed poorly at Eurovision and how entrants are chosen. Dame Caroline Dinenage said the inquiry will call BBC officials and music industry experts to give evidence as part of a State of Play inquiry. The move follows a string of low finishes — including a last-place result in May — despite the UK's global music success.
MPs To Probe Why UK Keeps Struggling At Eurovision — BBC Asked To Explain Selection Process
Sam Battle, performing as Look Mum No Computer, finished in last place at the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest with one point for his song "Eins, Zwei, Drei" [Tobias SCHWARZ / AFP via Getty Images]
Members of Parliament will investigate the United Kingdom's recent poor record at the Eurovision Song Contest, scrutinising how songs and acts are chosen to represent the country and whether changes are needed to improve future results.
James Newman came last with song Embers, scoring "nul points" in 2021 [Getty Images]
The country's latest low finish came in May when Look Mum No Computer placed last with one point. In 2023 Mae Muller finished second from bottom, and in 2021 James Newman scored "nul points" for his entry.
Success story Sam Ryder finished second at Eurovision 2022... [Getty Images]
The BBC is responsible for selecting the UK's entrant, sometimes in partnership with record labels or artist management companies. Dame Caroline Dinenage, chair of the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee, said the inquiry will examine who decides the entrant, what criteria are used and whether recent poor results — Sam Ryder's success in 2022 being a notable exception — are down to song choice, performance, selection process or other factors.
... while Katrina and the Waves were the last UK act to win Eurovision, in 1997 [PA Media]
"We want to get to the bottom of who chooses our entrant, on what basis and whether our dismal record of achievement in recent years [Sam Ryder to one side] is the result of bad song choice, weak performance... or something else." — Dame Caroline Dinenage
Officials from the BBC and experts from the music industry are expected to be invited to give oral evidence to the cross-party committee at a hearing to be held "over the coming months." The committee is also likely to receive written submissions from members of the public and industry stakeholders as part of its State of Play inquiry.
Despite the UK's long history of producing globally successful artists, that success has rarely translated into strong Eurovision performances. Over the past 15 years the UK has finished higher than 15th only once — when Sam Ryder placed second with "Space Man" in 2022, beaten by Ukraine's Kalush Orchestra.
Next year's contest, scheduled to be held in Burgas, Bulgaria, will mark roughly 30 years since the UK's last Eurovision win, when Katrina and the Waves topped the contest in 1997 with "Love Shine A Light." Many other countries use publicly televised selection shows to choose their entries; the UK's last such format was Eurovision: You Decide in 2019, which selected Michael Rice, who later finished last in Tel Aviv.
The Eurovision final remains one of the UK's most-watched music events, with millions tuning in to see the result. No firm timetable has been set for the committee hearing; once evidence has been reviewed the committee may publish a short report with recommendations to the BBC.
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